


New beginnings

by Yanana



Series: Atonement [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Andy and Cissy finally meet, Atonement - Freeform, Cissamione, F/F, From friends to lovers, I'm bad at tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:15:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26236987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yanana/pseuds/Yanana
Summary: Hermione knew that the pureblood witch was changing for the better. She realized that it was time to reveal her mystery friend. Of course Hermione couldn’t tell for sure that Narcissa wouldn’t throw her out but she trusted her gut feeling and it told her that all would be well.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Series: Atonement [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823371
Comments: 120
Kudos: 214





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We've seen the introduction to Narcissa's lonely life and her attempts to rebuild it. This she tries by applying for a job at the Ministry and ending up having to work for Hermione Granger. 
> 
> We've also read how Hermione gave Narcissa a hard time by dragging her along on several outings that a fancy witch such as Narcissa would never willingly undertake.
> 
> Now it's time to explore the evolution of their friendship to love and we dive deeper into Hermione's life and the relationship of Cissy and Andy (Black Sisters for the win)
> 
> Enjoy and please make sure to leave a comment. They are food for my soul.

Hermione arrived at Narcissa’s house for the second day that week and realized that she was practically skipping towards the door, having Apparated behind a tree somewhat further down the road. She silently scolded herself and slowed her pace. Her talk yesterday with Andromeda had lasted until the early hours but she still felt well rested and energized.

They had quite a lot to catch up to as Hermione hadn’t had much time to visit the last few weeks. As long as Teddy was still up, they just talked about everyday life, their jobs, his school and his friends while having a cup of tea. But as soon as the little boy closed his eyes, the Elvish wine had been set on the table and their conversation had taken an entirely different course.

Andy had asked a lot of questions about her sister, being absolutely delighted to hear that she was turning over a new leaf. It was obvious to Hermione that Andromeda Black wanted nothing more than to re-acquaint herself with her younger sister but when she proposed a meeting, Andy had refused completely.

‘If she was ready to talk to me, she would address me on my morning jog in the park instead of just staring at me.’

Hermione sighed. If only Narcissa knew that her secret morning routine wasn’t secret at all. Her sister had known from the very first day that she waited for her, rain or no rain. It was one of the reasons, Andy got up early so she would never miss an opportunity to see the platina blonde witch sitting on her favourite bench.

‘You’re at a standstill. How will you ever get to talk again?’ Hermione had laughed when Andy explained why she didn’t make the first move.

‘One day, she’ll no longer be capable to ignore the need to talk to me. That’s the day I’ll be waiting for her.’

‘She thinks you hate her.’

‘I never hated her. She hated me but I forgave her the day we parted ways.’

‘She doesn’t know that.’

‘Cissy’s always been a bit of a dramaqueen behind her stoic façade. The day she realizes the entire world doesn’t loathe her as much as she thinks, she has a chance for a new life.’

Both women had started their third glass of Elvish wine by the time the subject changed from Andy’s relationship with Narcissa to Hermione’s. The young witch asked Andy for advice when she heard Narcissa was looking for a job after all. She remembered the day she made an emergency floo-call to Andy as if it was yesterday.

_‘Hermione. Good grief! Is everything alright?’_

_‘Of course? Why not?’ The witch asked with an incredulous expression on her face._

_‘Because it’s past midnight and you appear in my living room in roaring green flames without so much as a warning!’_

_The brightest-witch-of-her-age looked a bit sheepish when she realized she gave Andy quite a fright. They had been friends for years now after meeting each other at a help group for witches who struggled with their grief for their losses during the war. Despite the age difference, they got along splendidly and together they healed._

_‘I’m sorry Andy. I shall come back tomorrow.’_

_‘Hermione Granger, if you dare to set even one foot in my fireplace, I will hex you so bad you can’t sit for a week!’_

_With a grin, Hermione landed in the armchair while Andy summoned two butterbeers from the kitchen. The girl looked tired and hungry._

_‘Are you eating? You look like you’re neglecting your health again.’_

_‘Don’t worry Andy. I’m eating. It’s not always the healthiest food but I eat at least two meals every day.’_

_The woman in front of her nodded, making her head full of curls bounce from the movement as she sealed her lips around the butterbeer. She noticed Hermione wasn’t drinking and instead was fidgeting with the cap of the bottle._

_‘What’s the matter?’_

_‘I need your advice.’_

_‘I’m all ears.’_

_‘There’s a witch looking for a job and she applied for one at the Ministry. It doesn’t matter which job she gets, as long as she can keep herself busy. And I’m seriously contemplating offering her a job.’_

_Andy nodded, ‘That sounds like a wise decision. You’re drowning in work as we speak. But I don’t understand why you need my advice on this matter? It seems like an easy decision to make.’_

_‘Well. Not really. The witch in question is not very loved by the Wizarding Community in Great Britain, let alone the Ministry of Magic. And to be honest, it’s possible that working with her damages my mental health.’_

_‘Who the hell are we talking about? Morgana Le Fay?’_

_‘Narcissa.’_

_Andy had frozen mid sip, making the butterbeer go down the wrong pipe causing her to splutter. Hermione rose to her feet to help the older witch but Andy waved her off, patting her chest while she coughed the butterbeer down._

_‘This is a joke, right?’_

_Hermione had never been more grateful that they both went to a help group where they learned to listen to someone else’s story without interrupting and without judging the person. This gave her a chance to explain to Andy why she wanted to hire Narcissa. But the witch was no fool and she quickly realized that Hermione herself didn’t really know what made her want to do this._

_So they both agreed on a trial period in which both witches could find out whether they were comfortable with the situation. Minister of Magic Shacklebolt had nodded his understanding when Hermione explained her terms of the deal. And when Narcissa and Hermione had met for the first time, the young witch had appeared on Andy’s doorstep on the brink of a panic attack._

_Andy had offered her peace, silence and warm hugs. No words of advice, no scolding and most of all, no judgement. She trusted Hermione and supported the girl in her decisions. After all Hermione had listened for hours to Andy telling the same stories about Nymphadora over and over again. Or she took Teddy for a few days when Andy needed a break._

Hermione shook the memory from her mind and tried to ignore the blush on her cheeks when she remembered what Andy had suggested during their midnight conversation yesterday. The older witch had been teasing her about her change in opinion about her sister. Where Hermione had complained about the blonde ice queen, she now only had positive things to say.

It had all been innocent banter up until the point where Andy had nudged Hermione with her foot, asking her if she liked witches instead of wizards. In return Hermione had hexed her backside so hard, Andy had to use a pain relieving potion to be able to sit down. But despite her sore ass, the mischievous grin on her face had not disappeared.

‘Absolute nonense,’ Hermione muttered to herself before ringing the doorbell from Narcissa’s house.

She quickly checked if her hair was still in place and smoothed out a crease in her shirt. It had been entirely coincidental that Hermione had decided to dress up for work today. The fashionable witch that was her colleague had absolutely _nothing_ to do with it.

‘Good morning Hermione.’

Narcissa’s voice made the young witches’ heart flutter but she ignored it as always and offered a good morning in return, taking off her shoes. Instead of her usual jeans and robes, she had decided to wear a skirt and a top leaving the robes at home since they weren’t at the Ministry. Hermione barely managed to hide her smug expression when she saw Narcissa’s gaze roam over her body and nod in approval.

‘I hope you don’t mind my casual outfit Hermione but I’m taking advantage of the fact that we’re working from home.’

Hermione managed to turn her snort into a cough when she realized that Narcissa called the long, light blue dress with straps casual. She’d probably wear that to a gala but Narcissa used the outfit to lounge in at home.

‘That’s not casual. Sweatpants are casual.’

‘Sweatp – Salazar’s Snake, what on earth are sweatpants?’

‘I’ll buy you some.’

‘Kindly don’t. The name itself already sounds horrendous.’

Hermione rolled her eyes but silently decided to ignore Narcissa and buy the woman some goddamn sweatpants. She settled herself at the kitchen table, a bowl of fruit in the middle and two take-away coffees that were still hot.

‘I feel spoiled.’

‘Don’t get used to it. When we’re back at the Ministry, you can fetch your own coffee,’ Narcissa answered in jest.

Both witches got to work with vigour, knowing that they’d almost finished the new animal’s rights legislation. It had been an everlasting job to get the approval of the Minister of Magic and the Department of Law Enforcement that still stood above them. But the end was near and they both looked forward to starting a new task to make their Department fully functional.

It was near noon when they both startled from the owl that knocked on Narcissa’s kitchen window. Lady Black rose to her feet to let the animal in and couldn’t hide a smile when she saw the letter was from her son Draco. She quickly fed the animal and let it fly off before opening her mail. What she read made her out a surprised _oh dear_ before having to stabilize herself on the kitchen island.

‘Is everything alright? Did you receive bad news?’

‘What? Oh. No, on the contrary. It’s a letter from Draco. He brings wonderful news.’

‘Oh?’

‘I’m becoming a grandmother. Astoria is pregnant.’

Hermione shrieked when she jumped to her feet and hugged the witch in front of her. Her brain stopped working at about the exact same time she felt her breasts collide with those of Narcissa and they both froze in the embrace. After a few awkward seconds, Hermione took a step back and cleared her throat trying to ignore the fact that they were both blushing.

‘Congratulations are in order, I suppose.’

‘Well… yes. Thank you.’

‘Narcissa?’

‘Mmmm?’

‘You don’t seem very excited by this. What’s the matter?’

‘Nothing dear. I just realized that I’m becoming old.’

Hermione looked dumfounded at Narcissa before throwing her head backwards and laughing uncontrollably. Narcissa obviously didn’t appreciate this as she put her hands on her hips and scowled.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘Oh Narcissa. I’m sorry but have you looked at yourself?’

‘Every morning in the mirror.’

‘Then you know that you’re not old.’

‘I’m convinced that there are grey hairs hiding between my blondes. And I’m… well let’s say not everything is as firm as it used to be.’

‘Merlin’s beard, you are being so dramatic. Narcissa you are a gorgeous and very attractive witch and please don’t think otherwise.’

Suddenly, Narcissa’s eyes glimmered with mirth as she cocked her head to the side. Gorgeous and attractive, huh? Only a few seconds later, Hermione seemed to realize what she had said because her pink blush quickly increased to a reddish spotting on her neck and collarbones. The young witch was so embarrassed that she turned on her heels and headed towards the toilet in the hallway in desperate need of a hiding places for the next five minutes.

The blonde witch chuckled as she heard Hermione mutter something about powdering her nose and reread the letter that she was still holding in her hands. A grandmother! Her first hesitation swiftly made way for a warm and happy feeling when she imagined herself bouncing a toddler on her knee. Narcissa startled when she felt warm tears roll of her cheeks. She hadn’t even realized the news had made her so emotional.

‘Narcissa? Honestly, you really aren’t old,’ Hermione said hesitantly when she returned to the kitchen area only to find her colleague in tears.

‘It’s not that Hermione. I’m just so happy that Draco managed to find a life of his own. A happy life.’

‘Oh, I see. It’s completely normal that you’re happy for your son. He did very well indeed!’

Hermione’s kind words only made Narcissa cry harder and before the witch knew what happened she was once more enveloped in a hug but this time it wasn’t awkward. This time she buried her nose in soft brown curls and held on for dear life to the young witch who was gently caressing her back to offer comfort.

‘That’s the second time you’ve seen me cry.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘I feel weak.’

‘Crying doesn’t make you weak, Narcissa. It makes you human.’

There was no answer, only silence but Hermione knew that the pureblood witch was changing for the better. She realized that it was time to reveal her mystery friend. Of course Hermione couldn’t tell for sure that Narcissa wouldn’t throw her out but she trusted her gut feeling and it told her that all would be well.

***

It took Hermione another three days to gather the courage and start the conversation with Narcissa about her estranged sister Andromeda. It happened on their last day of working from home when they had drank a glass of champagne to celebrate the fact that their new office was finished and waiting for them. Feeling encouraged by the alcohol, Hermione went for it.

‘I had been thinking about revealing my mystery friend to you?’

‘And what have I done to earn such an honour?’

‘You’ve changed,’ Hermione shrugged which earned her a raised eyebrow from her colleague.

‘In what way?’

‘In such a way that I’m convinced you won’t Avada Kedavra me for revealing who she is.’

Narcissa didn’t reply but blinked her eyes a couple of times, processing what Hermione just said. Then she slowly put down her glass of champagne and stared at Hermione who had lost all her previous courage and was fidgeting with her drink.

‘Your mystery friend is Andromeda.’

Hermione gulped when she heard the coldness in Narcissa’s voice and for a few moments she feared she had misjudged the situation completely and would be thrown out of the house.

‘How did you know?’

‘I didn’t until now as my sister is the only person I can think of that would have you so scared of telling me about.’

‘Are you mad?’

Narcissa’s cold stare softened as she reached for her glass again and gulped it down in one go. She immediately stood up and walked over to the refrigerator to pour herself another glass of champagne. All this time she remained silent making Hermione want to Disapparate on the spot. The blond witch slowly returned to the table, hips swaying and eyes bluer than ever.

‘I’m not mad Hermione. But I’m disappointed you’d think I’d be mad at you for befriending my sister.’

‘Well it’s not like you two get along.’

‘Is that what you think?’

Hermione realized her words had hurt Narcissa so she quickly placed her hand on the witches’ arm to prevent her from leaving the room. Blue eyes met amber ones and the older witch sighed, sipping her champagne as the liquid calmed her nerves.

‘Talk to me Narcissa. Help me understand.’

‘I’ve always loved Andy. She protected me from Bella’s practical jokes when we were younger, always looking out for me. The day she left, she broke my heart but I didn’t hate her. Not like Bella hated her. She was always more radical in her pureblood-beliefs. I was so confused and didn’t understand why she did it. Until I met Lucius and fell head over heels in love with him.’

Narcissa smiled at Hermione’s snort and summoned the bottle of champagne from the kitchen to fill her guest’s glass once more obviously remembering that she was a witch and didn’t need to actually walk over there.

‘Astounding as it may sound, I was very fond of Lucius when we first met. We had a happy marriage before the war wrecked it. But one day I was looking at Lucius and I wondered what I would have done if he wasn’t a wizard.’

‘You probably would never have met him.’

‘Humour me Hermione,’ Narcissa said exasperated, ‘You know very well what I mean.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Apology accepted. Anyhow, it was then that I understood Andy’s actions. She loved him as I loved Lucius.’

‘Then why didn’t you look her up?’

‘You forget that I was surrounded by pureblood supremacists. They would never approve. And on top of it all, I was still very brainwashed and wasn’t going to risk bringing shame upon the family. No, I ignored my desire to meet my sister again and buried it as deep as I could.’

A silence fell between the two women as they both pondered on the story. Hermione knew that Andy wanted Narcissa to make the first move but it wouldn’t hurt to help a little bit, now would it?

‘Did you bury it so deep that you’ve forgotten all about her?’

‘No,’ the youngest Black sister answered with a smile, ‘the moment I got my freedom back, the longing for my sister resurfaced. Why do you think I moved to this muggle neighbourhood?’

‘To watch your sister jog in the park.’

The words had left Hermione’s mouth before she realized her mistake by the surprised expression on Narcissa’s face. Shit.

‘How do you know about my very secret morning routine, Mrs Granger?’

Hermione flinched at the use of her last name and quickly lied, ‘I know Andy lives close by and I know she jogs in the park. I simply connected the dots.’

‘Do you really deem it wise to lie to a skilled Legilimens such as myself?’

The voice was stern but Narcissa’s eyes twinkled with amusement. She would never dare invade Hermione’s mind like that but it couldn’t hurt to remind the young witch that she was more than capable of doing so. It wouldn’t even get noticed by the girl as Narcissa was so skilled, she could read thoughts with the softest of caresses.

‘You better stay out of my head Narcissa Black! But you’re right, I shouldn’t lie to you. It’s just that I promised your sister not to tell.’

‘My lips are sealed.’

Hermione glared at Narcissa who feigned her innocence and blinked her long lashes at her colleague who immediately had to fight the urge to swear allegiance to the blonde and toss herself at her feet. But after a few seconds, Hermione’s resolve crumbled.

‘Fine. Andy knows you’re watching her jog.’

‘How?’

‘She saw you the very first day you appeared in the park. Apparently your unique hair colour is hard to miss. Did you really move to a muggle neighbourhood for her?’

‘Well I mostly did it to escape the nasty looks witches and wizards tend to give me but yes, I knew that Andy lives on the other side of the park.’

‘So you’re really not mad that I’m friends with her?’

‘Hermione, my sister is one of the kindest witches I have ever known. She always had a gift of sensing other peoples sorrows and an urge to help them. So I’m not surprised that you like her. But I am so very curious to find out how this friendship came to be.’

‘That part of the story wasn’t a lie. I really did meet her at a help group for people who have trouble processing the loss of loved ones. After the war, many people sought help. We just accidentally ended up in the same group. I really liked her daughter Nymphadora, who died together with her father and husband leaving behind her mother and son. So I went to offer my condolences and we just never stopped talking.’

Narcissa felt a pang of guilt in her heart by the mentions of all the people Andy had lost during this war. She suddenly realized that the Malfoys were very lucky to walk away from it all unscathed. The thought of her dear sister all alone with her grandchild, made her so sad.

‘Hermione?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’d like to meet my sister.’

***

‘What’s up ‘Mione? You look like all the troubles in the world rest on your shoulders?’

Hermione smiled at Ginny who put a pastry and a fresh butterbeer in front of her. After her final workday at Narcissa’s place, she had travelled to Grimmauld Place for their monthly game night. They always switched locations between Harry’s house and the Burrow, since Hermione’s apartment was too small to fit them all.

Ginny’s remark made the entire table look up and frown at her. Harry who was bouncing his toddler James on his knee gave Hermione a reassuring smile while Ron just looked like he didn’t get what was going on. He came alone this time since Lavender was paying a sick aunt a visit. Luna also came alone as Neville was too busy grading exams at Hogwarts to make it tonight.

‘It’s nothing,’ Hermione said to her friends, ‘my mind just took me elsewhere.’

‘Might elsewhere be a very handsome wizard by any chance?’

‘As if I’d be stupid enough to date without informing you first. We both know you’d hex me!’

‘A pretty witch then?’

This made Hermione choke on her Pastry as she felt herself turning red for what must have been the tenth time that day. She began to splutter that she had no idea what Ginny was talking about before noticing all the smug faces around the table. Apparently, they all had a hunch about her sexuality before she realized it herself. It hadn’t been very long after Andy suggested it that Hermione had to admit to herself that there was some truth to her suspicions.

‘It’s okay ‘Mione! We love you regardless of the company you prefer.’

 _I doubt that,_ Hermione thought when the memory of a blonde witch hugging her resurfaced in her mind. Nevertheless, she had to admit that her friends and Andy were probably right. Hermione liked witches instead of wizards. It made sense.

‘I cannot believe that you guys figured this out before I did.’

‘Well it wasn’t very difficult,’ Ron said while pointing at himself, ‘I mean, who can resist me?’

The entire table howled with laughter as they all raised their butterbeers in honour of Hermione who felt like another piece of the puzzle in her search for herself had fallen into place. She rolled her eyes at Ginny who started begging her friend to set her up on a blind date. After all, only one woman would do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione smirked as she grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey from the cabinet when her fireplace suddenly roared and green flames announced the arrival of Andromeda Black. Narcissa immediately went rigid and forgot about the whiskey all together. Andy hadn’t noticed that her sister was already present yet as she was brushing the ashes from her clothes. The moment she looked up, she also stiffened making the air sparkle with tension.
> 
> The two Black Sisters finally meet! There's booze, tears, hugs and of course Hermione to keep an eye out on the two!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for my terrible (or non-existent) consistency in writing. I really do try but... yeah I don't really have an excuses lol
> 
> Anyhow, enjoy! And as always, leave me a comment if you want to make me smile like a retard all day <3

Hermione’s wand swirled on the rhythm of the music. She often listened to classic music when she was feeling anxious and needed to calm down. With long and elegant wand movements, she danced through her apartment while skilfully avoiding all the objects flying around. The young witch ducked underneath a floating stack of books and hopped over a pair of shoes gliding towards the closet.

In the middle of the apartment was a big garbage bag filled with old clothes, expired food, empty soda bottles and other clutter. Everything but books of course. Hermione could never get rid of a book, no matter how many times she read it. But all the rest had to go during this spring cleaning.

When everything had found its rightful place, Hermione pointed to the feather duster and it started to move around every surface in the apartment. A flick of her wand and a sponge started scrubbing the kitchen counter while another dived into a bucket of suds and cleaned the windows. The witch sighed and tucked some strands of hair that had escaped from her bun behind her ears. What had she gotten herself into?

When Narcissa had told her she wanted to see her sister, Hermione had wasted no time and visited Andromeda straight away. Her friend had barely managed to fight her tears as she pulled the brunette into a tight hug. But immediately after her first excitement, Andromeda had become so terribly nervous. Inviting her sister into her home where she and her muggle husband had lived happily for so many years before he died, wasn’t something Andromeda was ready for. She wanted to meet Narcissa at a neutral location.

The blonde Black sister felt exactly the same and had asked Hermione if she would be okay by inviting both women at her own place and be a mediator during the first confrontation. And if someone would ever ask her about her motives to agree to this, she would _never_ admit that Narcissa’s blue puppy eyes had anything to do with it.

No, she just wanted to help two close friends and if that meant inviting them over to her teeny tiny apartment she actually hated living in, then that’s what would happen. But the moment Hermione had arrived home and looked around the place, she realized that it could use a thorough cleaning if she didn’t want to feel ashamed when her visitors saw how she lived.

The entire wall in her bedroom was occupied by a wardrobe but only a few shelves had clothes on them as Hermione didn’t care about them very much. She usually hid the fact that she often wore the same outfit underneath her Ministry robes. Every other shelve had books on them. As did her nightstands and every available surface in her living room. But at least now they were neatly stacked and dustfree.

Almost at the exact same moment Mozart stopped playing, all the magically induced objects stopped moving. A content smile appeared on Hermione’s face as she looked around her apartment that was so spotless you barely noticed how small it was. Some groceries and a quick shower and she was ready to entertain her guests!

***

Narcissa yelled in frustration and threw the tenth outfit she’d tried on to the mirror. Nothing felt adequate enough for tonight’s event. She had tried on jumpsuits, skirts, dresses and even her official Ministry robes but everything made her feel ridiculous. The blonde witch felt her knees go weak and sank down on the bed, her breathing becoming erratic. Despite not having had one for years, Narcissa recognized the signs of an upcoming panic attack so she swiftly took action before it was too late.

With shaking hands she wrote a letter and tapped it with her wand, making the paper turn into the brightest red. She impatiently dripped some hot wax onto it and sealed it with her House of Black sigil. Narcissa used her last bits of self-restraint to walk to the fireplace in her bedroom, toss some floo powder in it, loudly state Hermione’s address and watch the letter disappear in a gush of green flames.

It was then that the panic attack firmly closed its iron grip around her heart. She was going to meet her sister that she’d abandoned so many years ago. Blinded by her pure blood beliefs she had refused to talk to Andromeda for years and now she was expected to have a conversation with her? What in Merlin’s name could she ever say to Andy that could fix all that misplaced hatred? This could never work. This was doomed to fail. Andy would laugh in her face and as Narcissa imagined the loathing on her sister’s face, she completely broke down.

A loud roar announced that someone was coming through the Floo and only seconds after receiving Narcissa’s howler, Hermione stepped into her bedroom. The young witch was only slightly confused when she noticed she wasn’t in the living room as proper etiquette stated but quickly got to her senses when she saw the mess in front of her. The entire room was cluttered with Narcissa’s clothes and there were more shoes than Hermione had possibly ever owned. In the midst of the mess sat Narcissa, knees drawn and her head tucked between her arms as she rocked back and forth.

‘Narcissa?’

Hermione hesitantly walked closer to the witch who didn’t seem to realize that she was here. The brunette had suspected Narcissa to struggle with the upcoming confrontation but she had not expected the older woman to suffer this much. Hermione crouched down next to Lady Black and softly touched her in order not to startle her. When the witch didn’t react, Hermione tried again.

‘Cissy?’

Narcissa’s blonde head immediately shot up and two big, blue, frightened eyes darted through the room as if expecting to find danger. When she saw Hermione, the witch visibly relaxed and exhaled a stuttered breath.

‘You came.’

‘Of course. What’s going on?’

‘I was trying to find an outf – why are you wet?’

Hermione’s presence had calmed Narcissa enough to focus again and what she saw made her blush. Her boss was only wearing a long shirt and her knickers while her hair was dripping wet, making the shirt stick to her skin in the most improper of places. It took all of Narcissa’s restraint to avert her gaze causing Hermione to laugh.

‘You are unbelievable! I was in the shower when you send me that howler. Don’t ever do that again by the way. I slipped and ruined my shower curtain trying not to break my neck.’

‘I’m sorry Hermione but why on earth didn’t you get dressed first before coming here?’

‘You threatened to hex me if I didn’t come to your place immediately or don’t you remember what you wrote? And for the record, I’m the most dressed witch in this room.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

This time it was Hermione’s turn to blush as she stopped rubbing soothing circles on Narcissa’s naked back.

‘Narcissa, you do know that you’re in your underwear, right?’

The older witch frowned and looked down to her own body causing her to blink a few times before the reality of the situation sank in. She had used the last of her control to write that letter to Hermione, completely forgotten that she had tossed her last outfit to the mirror instead of wearing it still. Her hands flew to her mouth, mortified.

‘Salazar’s Snake! I’m so sorry Hermione. I was having a panic attack and clearly I wasn’t thinking straight anymore.’

‘It’s okay Narcissa. Frankly I don’t think putting on clothes would have helped you calm down so you made the right decision to call on me. What’s wrong.’

‘Erm Hermione?’

‘Yes?’

‘Could you please give me something to wear first. And find yourself a pair of trousers while you’re at it because there’s no spell on earth that can make me ignore the fact that we’re both terribly underdressed.’

Hermione chuckled as she handed Narcissa a silver dress she had never seen the witch wear before and wriggled herself into a pair of slacks before turning back to Narcissa. The witch had dragged herself onto the bed after putting on the dress and looked at her colleague. Her pants fit the young witch perfectly, making her smile.

‘Thank you for coming.’

‘Any time. Could you do me a solid and dry my hair? I forgot my wand when I practically dived into my fireplace.’

A short flick of Narcissa’s wrist and Hermione’s full head of curls returned to its original dry state. She walked over to the woman on the bed and sat on her knees in front of her, taking her hands in her own. The chaos had distracted Narcissa momentarily but Hermione could see the panic return into those icy blue eyes.

‘Talk to me.’

‘I’m scared Hermione. I don’t know what to say to Andy. She must hate me so much and I’m terrified that tonight will prove that our relationship is lost forever.’

‘Narcissa. If Andy hated you, she would never have agreed to meet you. Trust me, she wants this so much! It’s all she could talk about for years.’

‘But I don’t know how to deal with this. Hell, I don’t even know what to wear!’

‘I am here to help you. Andy knows that you are nervous and she’s probably a bit uneasy herself. If I notice that something goes wrong later today, I’ll intervene okay? But one problem at a time. First let’s find you an outfit.’

‘Everything I have is either too formal or too posh and expensive. I don’t want to look like the pureblood bitch I’ve been for the last years, wearing clothes that cost more than her entire wardrobe. You’ve told me she struggles to make ends meet and that makes me uncomfortable in my own clothes.’

‘I understand but I know exactly what you need,’ Hermione said with a wicked smile on her face.

***

Narcissa sipped her tea while waiting for Hermione to emerge from her bathroom. She had followed the witch to her place, agreeing that seeing the place of the confrontation might help her calm her nerves. The young woman’s apartment was extremely tiny but Narcissa refrained from commenting on it. Now was not the time nor the place. Despite being small, the entire place was clean and tidy making Narcissa feel relaxed at once.

‘How are the sweatpants?’

Narcissa swivelled on the chair in front of the kitchen counter to look at Hermione who came out of the bathroom smelling like flowers and smiled.

‘Unexpectedly comfortable.’

‘Told you! And we can both agree that Andy will never expect you to wear them! It’ll be a nice ice breaker.’

‘I hope you’re right. When will she arrive?’

‘Shouldn’t be too long now. Want some more tea?’

‘Don’t you have anything stronger?’

Hermione smirked as she grabbed a bottle of Firewhiskey from the cabinet when her fireplace suddenly roared and green flames announced the arrival of Andromeda Black. Narcissa immediately went rigid and forgot about the whiskey all together. Andy hadn’t noticed that her sister was already present yet as she was brushing the ashes from her clothes. The moment she looked up, she also stiffened making the air sparkle with tension.

Deep brown eyes looked into icy blue ones for the first time in years. And without any words being said, both women understood. Narcissa saw the wrinkles around Andromeda’s eyes. The grey streaks between the brown curls. The exhaustion that came with being a single parent to a very energetic little wizard. The pain from losing so many people she loved but not being allowed to truly mourn them because bills had to be paid each month.

In turn, Andy saw doubt where there had only been confidence so many years ago. She looked but noticed no arrogance, only genuine interest. Her younger sister no longer lived up to her title of ice queen as Andy felt a warmth radiating from her. The same warmth Cissy always had as a little witch but that was quickly extinguished by their pureblood-freak of a mother. Despite her resolve to not make the first move, Andy smiled at her sister and opened her arms.

The tears that had been so bravely fought now fell freely from Narcissa’s cheeks as a throaty laugh escaped her when rising from her seat towards Andy. She suddenly felt like that little witch again who could always count on her caring sister to protect her from Bella’s teasing. Andromeda had always been the responsible one who never put herself in the first place. Narcissa buried her face in Andy’s neck who stood a few inches taller than her and sighed.

It was Andy who eventually pulled back from the hug and looked down upon her sister, wiping the tears from her cheeks with her thumbs. She silently cursed herself for being such a softie but she couldn’t help it. This was her Narcissa. Her Cissy. It was Andy who made the first move and initiated the hug but the blonde witch spoke first.

‘Andy. You have no idea how happy I am to see you. I don’t really know what to say or where to start.’

‘I only have one question for you.’

‘Oh?’ Narcissa answered confused.

‘Since when did my fashionable sister start wearing sweatpants?’

***

Andy felt light headed as she nudged Hermione to fill her glass of Firewhiskey for the fifth time. She still had a hard time believing the woman in front of her was her estranged sister. They had been talking for hours now, catching up on all those lost years. It was clear that neither party felt the urge to talk about their initial fallout or the war. No, tonight was just about talking to each other again, getting to know one another.

She had listened to her sister talking about her only son Draco with such love and passion, she had a hard time believing Hermione when she nuanced all the praise about Draco with some stories of her own. Much to her surprise, Narcissa didn’t fight Hermione but laughed heartily at her version of Draco acknowledging that her son hadn’t been the best version of himself up until after the war and meeting Astoria.

In turn, Narcissa had gratefully accepted Andy’s photo album of Teddy and had looked at all the pictures with a content smile on her face. When she voiced her regrets of not having had the joy of watching her nephew grow up, Hermione pitched in to the conversation and started telling tales about her adventures with Harry and the boy. It was once more clear that more serious topics would be addressed at a different time.

It was nearly midnight when Andromeda suddenly shrieked and jumped to her feet, only to be knocked back into her chair by the voluminous amounts of Firewhiskey in her system. Hermione who had not nearly drunk as much as the Black Sisters offered her a hand and guided her to the fireplace.

‘I really must go. My babysitter will probably be waiting for me to return.’

‘I am not stopping you Andy, but I think it might be a good idea if I pronounce your address or Merlin knows where you’ll end up.’

Andy tried to nod at Hermione’s wisdom but groaned. That would be one heck of a hangover tomorrow and she was out of potions to remedy her predicament. Just before stepping into the fireplace, the woman turned towards her sister who’s eyes had gone a bit watery from all the drinking.

‘Owl me, okay?’

‘We’ll talk soon. Bye Andy.’

Hermione clearly stated the correct address and roaring green flames swallowed a giggling Andy, transporting her home. The young witch felt a headache coming up. Today had been a very busy and stressful day. She turned around to ask Narcissa if she’d like another drink only to see the witch passed out on her couch claimed by the exhaustion of this day. With a loving smile, Hermione draped a blanket over Narcissa and took off her shoes, placing them next to her on the floor. As silently as possible she waved the empty bottles and glasses to the kitchen sink and retired to her own bed not even bothering to undress herself.

***

Narcissa had always had a remarkable tolerance for wine but Firewhiskey was an entirely different kind of booze. The moment she opened her eyes, she immediately regretted being alive and groaned in agony. The fact that her head felt like someone had used it as a punching bag, didn’t help either.

‘Good morning.’

Narcissa frowned. That didn’t sound like her House Elf? Suddenly she realized that she wasn’t in her very big and very soft bed. No, she was sleeping on a couch and judging by the ache in her lower back, not a very comfortable couch. She squinted her eyes to avoid the light and looked around the room. There were books everywhere so she could only be at one place.

‘Good morning Hermione.’

‘Slept well?’

‘Please. Lower your voice. What on earth am I smelling?’

‘Pancakes! I’m making you breakfast.’

Narcissa’s stomach didn’t agree with that idea and she fought the urge to vomit with every bit of willpower she could muster. Hermione noticed the witch’s discomfort because she grabbed some ice out of her freezer, wrapped it in a towel and pressed it against Narcissa’s head.

‘Here, this might help.’

‘Did you turn into a muggle overnight? Don’t you have a potion, dear?’

 _There was that nickname again._ Hermione momentarily lost all control over her body and missed the pancake she had just flicked into the air, causing it to land on the floor.

‘Oh… I’m sorry Narcissa. I was never that good in potions.’

‘Didn’t the Brightest-Witch-of-her-age brew a Polyjuice potion during her time at Hogwarts?’

Hermione laughed but quickly lowered her voice when she saw Narcissa wince at the sound. The blonde witch stiffly rose from the couch and made her way towards the kitchen, still squinting her eyes.

‘I did but what I’m trying to say is that potions never interested me enough to occupy myself with brewing outside of work.’

‘But you have ingredients?’

‘I keep the basic requirements of ingredients we needed at Hogwarts, yes.’

‘Excellent. Fetch me a cauldron.’

‘Yes your Highness.’

‘Careful now dear, I might get used to that nickname.’

 _And I might get used to mine,_ Hermione thought wile rummaging through her cupboards looking for a cauldron.

***

Being awoken by a little blue haired wizard who had morphed his nose to match the beak of a goose whilst having the most painful headache in years was not what Andy signed up for when becoming a grandmother. Teddy was making quacking noises as he jumped on top of the bed making Andy want to Stupefy him.

‘Teddy, honey, will you get me a bottle of water from the fridge?’

She hoped that her request was manageable for a child his age but she really wanted water and she couldn’t find her bloody wand. The witch softly chuckled when she saw that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday. She vaguely remembered stumbling out of the fireplace and dragging herself upstairs into her bed after shoving some money into the hands of a very angry looking babysitter who should have been home hours ago.

The door from her room opened as Teddy entered with an owl on his shoulder. Two pairs of very big eyes, one toddler and one bird, blinked at Andy who groaned in her pillows. She was a highly skilled witch and wandless magic wasn’t much of a problem for her but that required absolute focus and her brain felt like it had shrivelled to the size of a walnut.

‘Teddy. What’s the bird doing in my room?’

The little boy just shrugged and handed Andy the letter and parcel the bird had brought with him. The hungover witch sighed and started looking for her glasses because there was no way she could read that letter without them if she already had trouble reading when she was sober. The toddler next to her bed giggled and fished a pair of glasses out of his pocket, giving it to his grandmother.

‘What would I do without you huh, handsome? You can give the bird a treat from the jar in the kitchen. And then please bring your gran a bottle of water?’

With the glasses firmly perched on top of her nose, Andy opened the letter and felt herself smile warmly. It was a note from Cissy telling her that she had never been happier in her life and thanking Andy for the second chance. The last line informed her that the parcel was a gift and something Andy could probably use now. The woman frowned as she ripped open the paper packing and found a little vial inside with a note.

_If I remember my sister correctly, you will have potions and salves for every itch little Teddy might develop, but nothing for your own ailments. My Andy never put herself first and amendable as that is, I assume you could use a hungover-potion just as I did. Cheers!_

Andromeda laughed and immediately chugged the vial, outing a sigh of relief when she immediately felt the throbbing headache fade away. Her sister always was a miracle potion mistress. She hugged the little wizard that had once more entered her room, this time bringing the wanted bottle of water with him and kissed his cheek.

‘Thank you my hero! I’m sure gran will feel a lot better after a sip of water and then we can have some fun, okay?’

‘I want to watch Zootropolis,’ Teddy stated, his eyes already glimmering with mirth.

Andy silently cursed. She had seen that movie so many times in the past few weeks, she suddenly understood why muggles were so paranoid about their kids watching too much tv.

‘Okay honey. Have you seen my wand by the way?’

She hadn’t finished her sentence yet before hearing the roaring of green flames in her fireplace downstairs and Hermione’s voice calling for her. Teddy immediately squealed and wriggled himself free from his grandmother’s grasp to run to Hermione who was by far his favourite friend.

‘Andy, I’m coming up.’

Seconds later a grinning Hermione appeared in her bedroom with Teddy on her hip and the lost wand in her other hand. She handed it over to the fully dressed woman in the bed and tutted at Andy.

‘Now now, Miss Black. This is no way for a grown witch to behave herself.’

‘Shut up Hermione. Did Cissy get home safe?’

‘She fell asleep on my couch. I fed her some pancakes before she went home this morning. I assume she will be soaking in her ridiculous big bath by now.’

A loving smile appeared on Andy’s face while she climbed out of her bed and started stripping it so she could wash the sheets. Hermione sat herself down on the armchair in the corner of the room with Teddy on her lap. She felt like home in Andy’s house more than she felt at home at Grimmauld’s Place or even the Burrow. Suddenly Andy turned around and spoke softly.

‘She really has changed, hasn’t she?’

‘She has, Andy. I think it’s safe to assume that Narcissa Black is an entirely different person than Narcissa Malfoy. She has become my friend over the years even though I’m surprised to say so.’

‘We’ll still need to talk about what happened.’

‘You do, but yesterday wasn’t the time. Such a serious conversation should feel right for both parties. For now, I suggest you just get to know her a bit.’

‘I was thinking of maybe inviting her over to my Christmas party next month? It’s been such an emotional and stressful rollercoaster. This gives us some time to process and we can always write letters in the meantime.’

Hermione smiled and nodded at her friend. She didn’t know if the sisters realized it but them reconnecting would also be an important step in Narcissa’s attempt to join the Wizarding community again. If she had a few popular wizards like Harry who supported her, opinions about the former Malfoy Matriarch would change fast.

‘Hermione?’

‘What? Sorry Andy, I didn’t realize you were still talking to me.’

A wicked grin appeared on Andromeda’s face as she cocked her head to one side.

‘Daydreaming about my sister under the mistletoe already, are we?’

Hermione could do nothing but blush as her wand was out of reach with Teddy on her lap. Andy always saw right through her. A full head of brown curls bounced up and down when Andromeda laughed at her own joke and Hermione had to admit, she didn’t only look a lot like her sister Bellatrix but she could also manage a perfectly fine cackle as well if she was very amused at something.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narcissa is finally happy and even agreed to go to Christmas party! The fact that Hermione is going to be there has NOTHING to do with it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll hate me
> 
> I'm not sorry
> 
> Enjoy x

The water flowed over the edge of the tub as she slowly emerged from her bath. Long, pale legs that were thin but muscular gracefully stepped over the edge while a manicured hand grabbed the nearby towel. With slow strokes the woman dried herself, completely lost in thought. But this time her thought weren’t unhappy unlike so many countless other mornings a while ago. No, Narcissa was genuinely happy and she thrived.

She was thinking about the upcoming Christmas party that she had quickly agreed to join but it was only afterwards that she’d realized what it really meant. It was the very first time Narcissa Black, formerly Malfoy was invited to a party. It was also the very first time she would have to hold a conversation with people other than Hermione, Draco and Andy.

Yes, Andy. Because despite their promise to give each other a month to process things, they had seen each other almost every day. After Narcissa had sent her sister the anti-hungover potion, Andy had replied immediately. After sending so many letters that their owls were exhausted, both witches agreed that the whole situation was ridiculous because they could just meet each other. And they did.

The first time both witches went for a walk in the park that connected both their houses, not feeling ready yet to share their homes with each other. This time they had talked about their youth and their time together as sisters, carefully avoiding the painful subject of Andromeda being disowned. They laughed heartily about the memory of Cissy cutting her own hair causing their mother to have a nervous breakdown and Andy bringing home a baby crocodile for a pet after stealing it from London Zoo during their visit with Uncle Alphard.

They even talked about Bellatrix and how they regretted her descent into madness. Andromeda’s expression had saddened when she heard Narcissa talk about Bella’s final years. Narcissa shivered when she thought back about the most difficult conversation she ever had in her life.

_‘I won’t lie. I always kept hoping that you two would forgive me and seek contact again.’_

_‘I lost all hope that you would ever want to hear from me again when I married Lucius and surrounded myself with pureblood-supremacists.’_

_‘Really?’_

_‘Yes. I regretted our separation seconds after you left with the Knight Bus. But I wasn’t as brave as you were Andy and my love for Lucius blinded me. I chose safety and therefore turned my back to you. I was convinced you would hate me for all eternity.’_

_‘I never hated you, dear Cissy. Nor did I ever hate our Bella. I saw what our parents were doing to you two. If I’d never fallen in love with Ted, I’m sure I’d become as brainwashed as you were. But he made me realize that it was all bullshit. That we were all equal. And the day I understood, it was too late to try and convince my sisters of that truth so I fled. I was selfish.’_

_‘I felt so betrayed by your departure Andy. You always were my hero and suddenly you were gone. It was only until I fell in love myself, that I understood your motives.’_

_‘You did?’_

_‘Yes. I tried to imagine what I’d do if Lucius was a muggle. Despite our divorce, we had a very happy marriage. We truly loved each other before the war tore us apart. I like to believe that that moment was the first time I questioned our parents beliefs. But marrying Lucius meant that I could never voice those doubts. His family was as extremist as ours. So I kept quiet.’_

_‘Is that why you never came looking for me?’_

_‘As I said, I was never as brave as you. And I was also convinced that you hated me for surrounding myself with pureblood witches and wizards, so keeping my distance seemed the best option. And when I was finally a free woman, I thought it was too late to fix our relationship.’_

_Andromeda kept quiet for a bit and slowed down her pace until she eventually came to a halt. She turned to her sister with a sad smile._

_‘It’s so stupid Cissy. We both believed the one hated the other while we both longed for a connection again.’_

_‘I know. So many lost years.’_

_‘And Bella?’_

_‘What about her?’_

_‘Do you think she’d ever have forgiven me?’_

_Now it was Narcissa’s turn to go quiet for a bit while she pondered her thoughts. She feared that this question might come and she was reluctant to hurt her sister._

_‘I’m sorry Andy but our Bella died long before the war. The madwoman she became would never have forgiven you. She even turned on me a few times when she doubted my dedication to the cause. Frankly she scared me so that when she died, I swore to never mourn the woman she had become. Instead I mourned the cheeky, bold and untamed sister remembered her to be.’_

_Andy nodded and suddenly wrapped her sister into a tight hug, letting her tears run free. Narcissa startled at first but quickly returned the hug, having to stand on her toes a bit as her older sister was quite a bit taller than her. Andy had always been the warmest and most emotional of the three Black sisters but Narcissa was learning to embrace her emotions instead of hiding them behind her ice queen façade._

_‘I’m so sorry that I abandoned you Cissy.’_

_‘And I’m sorry that I turned my back to you instead of listening to your story.’_

_‘We’re a pair of tits,’ Andy laughed causing Narcissa to scoff._

_‘I will in no circumstance refer to myself as such.’_

_‘I’m glad to see you’re still a snob. I started to fear Hermione had changed you completely.’_

Cissy opened her enormous wardrobe and picked an outfit for work. After their talk in the park, things had only gotten better between the sisters and Andy had even visited her sister’s house. She had whistled appreciatively when she saw how fancy the Victorian house was and surprised to find out that Narcissa did as much housework as her elf. Narcissa had merely smiled.

The blonde witch meticulously buttoned up her mint green blouse and tucked it into her leather skirt before doing her hair up in a bun. Her style had changed so drastically over the years but she so enjoyed expression herself through fashion. Gone were the dark and covering dresses she used to wear. She had recently even started to experiment with softer colours. The fact that Hermione loved seeing Narcissa in more muggle-like clothing was purely coincidental of course.

As the Christmas party approached, Narcissa felt more and more nervous though and even now she couldn’t really focus on her attire. It would be the first time she’d meet her nephew. Andy had told her she’d been preparing the boy for days and had assured her sister that it would be easier for him to meet her when there were other people he knew and trusted. That way the boy could seek Narcissa out for himself if he felt the need.

With a sigh, Narcissa sat herself down onto the little chair in front of her vanity and fastened the straps of her absurdly high pumps. She heard noises in the kitchen downstairs and smiled when the smell of fresh coffee reached her. Since she and Andy had started talking again, both women had agreed to no longer rise at ridiculous hours just to catch a glimpse of each other in the park. Something Hermione had found very endearing.

So lately Willy was awake before her and made sure that a healthy breakfast and a steaming hot coffee was waiting for her mistress who slept so much better and felt so much more energized it made the little House Elf smile non-stop. The creature waved a good morning to Narcissa who descended the stairs before Disapparating with a loud bang to go and help the elderly neighbour.

Narcissa contently ate her yoghurt with fruits and finished her coffee while reading the muggle newspaper that was now delivered to her door. It was something Andy arranged for her since she rarely went on morning walks anymore. She had changed her routine and went for a walk in the afternoon now. Usually alone although Hermione sometimes joined her. But they always had lunch together now and it was the highlight of Narcissa’s day.

Especially on Wednesday because then they went outside to eat and they always tried to find a different place. Hermione didn’t know it yet but today they’d be going to one of the finer magic establishments the British Wizarding world had to offer. Narcissa had to pull quite some strings to get it done as her influence had diminished drastically after the war, but she had made a reservation at the Gilded Galleon. It was her way to thank Hermione for everything she’d done.

The blonde witch grabbed her purse and travelled through the floo system to the Ministry of Magic, her nerves about the upcoming party momentarily forgotten by the thought of her lunch with Hermione. When the green flames spat her out onto the Atrium, she quickly made way for the next person to come through but accidentally bumped into a wizard.

‘Merlin! I apologize.’

‘It’s okay, miss – ‘

The wizard choked on his own words when he saw who exactly he had bumped into. Despite looking like a very well dressed muggle woman, there was only one witch who had black and blonde hair. But before the man could say another thing, Narcissa gave him a warm smile. She had never managed it before, being convinced that everybody hated her but her happiness of late had made her change her views. She could try and become the kind woman her sister had always seen in her. And it seemed to work because the man suddenly smiled back.

‘It’s okay miss Black. Congratulations by the way on your recent win in the new legislation on the rights of magical creatures. It was quite the talk at home since my daughters love everything that breathes.’

Narcissa laughed and the sound tingled through the Atrium, making other witches and wizards look up. She accepted the outstretched hand of the wizard and shook it gladly.

‘Thank you so much, mister…?’

‘Oh no. Just call me Paul please.’

‘Thank you Paul and it’s Narcissa, if you’d like.’

The man nodded, tipped his hat and walked in the opposite direction leaving a stunned Narcissa behind. She accepted her daily order of coffee at the stall in the Atrium and walked to her office in a daze. What was happening?

‘Good morning, Cissy!’

For the second time that day, Narcissa was dumfounded. Hermione had only addressed her with that nickname once or twice although she couldn’t deny loving to hear it fall from her lips. But one glance at the witch told Narcissa that she was very focused on the case in front of her so she probably didn’t even realize what she’d just said.

‘Good morning, dear. What case is that?’

‘The one about the illegal trade in Bowtruckles.’

‘Oh yes, that wizard was selling them because they could pick locks, right?’

‘Accurate. They’ve been tracking him for days now and suddenly he vanished into thin air. It frustrates me so much!’

Narcissa smiled and walked behind Hermione’s chair to place her hands on the young witch’s shoulders and massage them. The brunette immediately let go of the case and hummed sending a jolt through Narcissa who needed every bit of self-restraint not to whimper.

‘You’re very tense Hermione,’ the witch said instead while working on a knot in Hermione’s muscles.

‘I know. I need to relax but work’s only grown since I started this Department.’

‘Well my paperwork is as good as finished so you can start tasking me with whatever’s on your plate.’

‘Really? You want to keep working for me?’

The witch paused in her administrations and frowned.

‘Yes, why not?’

Hermione stood up from her chair making Narcissa pull back her hands and turned around. When her amber eyes locked onto Narcissa’s blue ones, every logic thought escaped her head. The older witch held her breath as Hermione studied her face before speaking.

‘I imagined you’d use this job as a way to get your dreamjob like we discussed some time ago.’

‘Oh,’ Narcissa exhaled nervously, ‘I honestly haven’t given it much thought anymore. You must be an excellent boss because I really like working for you.’

‘Isn’t it beneath you?’

‘How could working for someone who’s as kind, clever and passionate as you ever be beneath me?’

The words escaped Narcissa’s mouth before she realized it and Hermione’s eyes became as big as saucers. A silent _oh_ escaped her lips as she stared at her employee who’d started fidgeting with Hermione’s chair that still stood between them. The air felt thin when both witches leaned in towards each other, closing their eyes in the process but before their lips could connect, a loud knock startled them both.

Narcissa practically dove behind her own desk and started rummaging through her quills as Hermione cleared her throat and told the person behind the door to enter. It was the Minister himself who needed Hermione for an urgent matter. One that would occupy her until lunchtime, leaving Narcissa alone with her thoughts.

***

‘Where are we going?’

‘You’ll see.’

‘Narcissa Black, I don’t like the smug expression on your face.’

The blonde witch laughed at Hermione’s impatience and kept walking through the Atrium towards the main entrance of the Ministry. The moment her boss had returned from her meeting, she had tried to force Narcissa to give away the location of their lunch. She even threatened to fire Narcissa at some point during their banter which earned her a stinging hex on her backside.

‘Kindly take my arm, dear.’

Hermione grumbled but obeyed, once more ignoring the butterflies in her stomach when she closed the distance between them and hooked her arm in Narcissa’s. She could faintly smell the vanilla from Narcissa’s shampoo and felt the muscles in the woman’s arms flex as she pulled Hermione even closer. The familiar tug behind her navel indicated that they Disapparated and only seconds later, their feet touched the pavement again.

Hermione needed a few seconds to swallow away the dizzy feeling she always got from Apparition before focusing on the building in front of her. The moment she saw the black façade with the golden name above the entrance, she practically shrieked.

‘The Gilded Galleon? No way!’

‘I must admit that it wasn’t nearly as easy to get me a reservation as before, but believe it or not, our table awaits us.’

‘You’re amazing. Have I told you that before?’

‘You haven’t but I certainly appreciate the sentiment.’

Both witches entered the establishment and were immediately guided to their table in the furthest corner of the restaurant by an impeccably dressed waiter. He helped them out of their coats, pulled out the chairs from underneath the table for them and placed two glasses of champagne on the table before handing them the menus. Hermione could do nothing but grin.

‘I’ve never been to such a fancy restaurant.’

‘Well, you have a fancy colleague so you better get used to it.’

‘Oh? Are you planning to ask me on a date on a regular basis then?’

Narcissa practically choked on her champagne and began to splutter that this was just their regular lunch meeting and nothing more but she certainly apologized if Hermione had gotten the wrong image causing the witch to wheeze with laughter.

‘Relax Cissy, I was joking. I know this is just lunch but nevertheless, I’m loving it.’

‘I love it when you call me Cissy.’

The words had left the blonde witch’s mouth before she realized it but luckily for her, she had spoken softly and Hermione was engrossed in the menu. They both ordered a pasta and shared a bottle of sparkling water trying to keep pretending like nothing was wrong. But something had shifted between them. Gazes lingered seconds too long, touches became too frequent to be accidental and jokes were becoming more and more suggestive.

When Narcissa asked for the bill and flat out refused Hermione’s offer to split it, the young witch didn’t protest. She simply smiled and kissed Narcissa on the cheek. When the blonde woman froze on the spot, coin purse still in hand, Hermione grinned devilish.

‘I’m off for the remainder of the week so I guess I’ll see you at the Christmas party this Friday.’

Not giving Narcissa a chance to pull herself together, Hermione left the Gilded Galleon and Apparated home. In the meantime, Narcissa had finally managed to pay the bill and she decided to walk for a while desperate for some fresh air. How did this happen, she wondered? How did she, Narcissa Black the ice queen, fall head over heals for a muggle born witch who had the same age as her own son?

The witch shook her head. There was no denying it, the young girl had made her a completely different person and she loved every second of it. After years of arrogance, political games and behaving like the perfect pureblood wife, it felt like she could finally breathe again. She no longer felt lonely as she had found a friend in Hermione. The fact that the same friend appeared more and more in her dreams did complicate things. Suddenly she took an impulsive decision and Apparated on the spot.

Only to land on Andy’s doorstep. She knew Andy would be home as she had become a caregiver for witches and wizards who needed help around the house. That way she could plan her own hours and be home when Teddy was. Her earlier job as a Healer in St. Mungo’s just couldn’t be combined with her being a fulltime grandmother. Her sister looked very surprised to see her but gestured for her to enter the house. Narcissa shook her head.

‘No Andy, I know you don’t want me to meet Teddy before the party. But I needed to have a word with you if that’s okay?’

‘Always Cissy. You can always come to me. By the way Teddy’s napping.’

‘It’ll only take a minute.’

Andy frowned and crossed her arms. What in Merlin’s name could have her usually stoic sister so nervous?

‘What’s up Cissy?’

‘I think I’m in love with Hermione Granger.’

It took Andromeda exactly two seconds to process what her sister had just said before bursting out in laughter.

‘Oh dear sister. I don’t think you’re in love. I know you’re in love!’

‘Andy this isn’t funny! What in Salazar’s name am I supposed to do?’

‘Well, I have very good reasons to believe that Hermione feels exactly the same. But there’s only one way to prove it of course.’

‘What do you mean?’

Suddenly a wicked grin appeared on Andy’s face causing Narcissa to take a step back. She recognized that look from when they were younger. That expression usually meant that Andy was plotting something ridiculous.

‘Leave it to me, sister. I’ve got your back.’

Mere minutes later, Narcissa opened the door to her own house not at all reassured. She had tried to convince Andy to stay out of it but nothing worked until the blonde had threatened not to come to the party. But somehow she felt like Andy gave in far too quickly. She was up to something…

***

Hermione looked at herself in the mirror and the two different shoes she was wearing. One nervous look at the clock indicated that she really needed to make a decision so she went for the black pumps. Her dark red dress flowed freely and ended right above her knees. The top was covered in flower petals and her curls were braided together with a red ribbon. She looked very elegant but did she look pretty enough to distract a certain guest at the party?

Not wanting to ruin her outfit by the ashes of the floo system, she opted to Apparate to Andy’s house and landed behind some bushes in the park so she could walk the final distance and not look suspicious in an all-muggle neighbourhood. It wasn’t for Hermione to be running late but she had lost so much time choosing an outfit and still having had to pack all her gifts.

When she finally pressed on the doorbell, Teddy’s shriek sounded through the hallway excited that his favourite friend had finally arrived. She ruffled the boys hair, lifted him onto her hip and made her way to the living room, carefully keeping an eye out for any treacherous mistletoe that might be hanging on the ceiling. Andy tried to trick her each year but had never succeeded so far.

She opened the door with a bright smile that only faltered for a second when she saw that Narcissa hadn’t arrived yet. Hermione kissed Andy on the cheek and placed her purse that contained all the gifts on the window sill for later. Then she greeted her friends who were all faking shock about her fancy dress. Harry and Ginny had brought baby James with them because they couldn’t find a babysitter during these holidays. Ron was talking to Nevill and their girlfriends Luna and Lavender were helping Andy in the kitchen. Hermione placed Teddy back on the floor and offered her hand to the last couple.

‘Hello, you must be Astoria. I hear congratulations are in order?’

‘Thank you Hermione. Draco’s told me a great deal about you.’

‘Only good stuff I hope?’

‘Mostly about how you’re an insufferable know-it-all Granger.’

Hermione laughed at Draco’s joke and the blonde wizard chuckled in return. He had always admired Hermione for her intellect but had never found the courage to admit it. Now that he was free to think and do as he pleased, they actually got along rather nicely although she wouldn’t call them friends. Even Harry and Ron managed polite conversations with their former school bully. The brunette smiled at the expecting couple and walked to the kitchen.

‘Is your sister not here yet?’

‘I’m sure she’s wrecking her wardrobe in an attempt to find a sexy outfit for you.’

‘Andy, you’re a terrible person.’

Before Andromeda had the chance to tease Hermione any further, the doorbell rang. The witch winked at Hermione before drying her hands to her apron and walking to the front door to let her sister in. She had asked Hermione to keep an eye on the interaction between Teddy and her sister and to intervene should things get awkward for Narcissa. A quick glance to the blue haired wizard told Hermione that he was not yet aware that his estranged aunt has just arrived to the party.

Suddenly Andy came rushing back into the living room waving her wand towards the fireplace, making the wood burn a bit harder to chase the chill out of the house. Before Hermione knew what was happening, Andy pushed her towards the hallway.

‘Can you go help my sister real quick? She’s got her hands full but I didn’t dare take her coat with my marinade fingers.’

‘Sure,’ Hermione laughed as she opened the door to the hallway and practically bumped into Narcissa.

Strange, the witch wasn’t wearing her coat and was simply carrying a leather bag filled with gifts. Why the hell did she need any help? Hermione was quickly pulled out of her thoughts by the blue eyes of Narcissa who approvingly roamed her body as she clicked her tongue.

‘Oops, hello Hermione. You look absolutely stunning.’

‘Hi Cissy. Sorry about that. I’m afraid Andy is to blame for this.’

Narcissa frowned and looked at her sister who was pretending to ignore them as she marinaded a turkey that really didn’t need any more marinade. When both witches wanted to step aside in order to enter the living room, they found themselves glued to the ground.

‘What the hell…’ Narcissa muttered as she almost lost her balance trying to lift her feet.

‘Oh no, it seems like you two are the first victims of my mistletoe.’

Andy’s fake innocence failed completely as she pointed above their heads, making all the guests at the party turn their attention towards the witches stuck in the doorframe. Hermione cursed silently. Stirring up the fire was just a ruse Andy used to magic the mistletoe in the doorframe. And she had stupidly fallen right into her trap.

‘Why can’t I move Andy?’

‘Because dear Cissy, this is a magic mistletoe that only let its victims go after they kiss.’

A deafening silence fell over the room and amber eyes looked into blue ones. Narcissa felt her mouth go dry and swallowed. _Damn you Andy!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narcissa and Hermione end up underneath an enchanted mistletoe. Thanks to their very persistent matchmaker Andromeda, they finally start to see things clearly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! The final chapter of Part 3 ;) 
> 
> I was thinking of ending with an angsty cliffhanger, but I decided to be merciful and end with a sexy cliffhanger ;)
> 
> Now on to part 4 which contains THE SMUT and will also conclude the Atonement series
> 
> Also a big thank you to Sammie and Laurie who always assist me when I struggle with the English <3 and a big thank you to Louise who bullies me A LOT
> 
> Make sure to scream at me in the comments if you like what you're reading xx

‘Well Granger, are you going to kiss my mother or will you be standing in the doorway for the rest of the evening?’

‘Shut up Draco,’ Hermione said while her brain finally started functioning again.

‘I’m not complaining to be honest,’ Narcissa said while trying her best to sound relaxed, ‘I once attended a party where someone had to kiss a goat. But I was under the impression that enchanted mistletoe had gone out of fashion?’

Narcissa’s amused voice turned so cold at the last statement that the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees despite the raging fire in the fireplace. Unfortunately for her, Andy was not in the least impressed as she happily explained to her guests how she had been trying to trick Hermione for years. When she babbled on, Hermione looked at Narcissa again who hid her nerves behind a smirk.

‘What do you say Hermione? If you’re uncomfortable with this, I can probably blast the damn mistletoe from the ceiling but I cannot guarantee that the roof will stay intact.’

Hermione laughed at the joke, feeling a bit more at ease and quickly stood on her toes and placed a very chaste kiss on the outer corner of Narcissa’s mouth. Disappointment shortly flickered in the blonde’s eyes but the mistletoe seemed to be satisfied and let both women go. Ginny whistled but luckily no other jokes were made at their expense.

‘Excuse me while I go torture my dear sister to make sure there aren’t any more surprises tonight,’ Narcissa said while dragging Andy away to the storage room behind the kitchen and closing the door behind them.

‘Before you go all crazy on me, everybody believed this to be a silly prank that could have happened to anybody,’ Andy said in her defence.

‘That’s not the point, Andromeda. Just promise me that you don’t have anything else up your sleeve because Hermione was obviously uncomfortable. She isn’t interested.’

‘Are you really so blind? The girl is interested you nutcase. Maybe just not in kissing you in front of an audience.’

This made Narcissa fall silent as she chewed her lip. It sounded logical that Hermione wouldn’t confess her feelings in front of her friends of whom one was an ex-boyfriend and in front of Narcissa’s son. Nevertheless, she still wasn’t convinced. Andy saw her hesitate and sighed, pressing a small twig of mistletoe into her hand.

‘Here, this is the last bit I have. Use it well and rest assured that there will be no more interference from me tonight.’

They nodded their agreement towards one another and went back to the guests. Andy immediately occupied herself with making sure everybody had something to drink and Narcissa sat herself next to her son and his wife to have a chat with them about her unborn grandchild. It was not long however before a blue haired toddler walked towards her and stared openly at the witch.

‘Hello, little man. Your name is Teddy, am I correct?’

The boy nodded and whispered ‘are you auntie Cissa?’

‘I am,’ Narcissa said with her rare warm smile she usually saved for Draco or Hermione.

The boy nodded as if he was the smartest wizard in the world and gave his stuffed animal to Narcissa who was obviously moved by the adorableness of her nephew. The young wizard then proceeded to climb onto his aunt’s lap and settled himself down to tell Narcissa everything about Tantor the elephant. Hermione smiled fondly at the scene in front of her. It was obvious that Lady Black would make an excellent grandmother.

As the evening progressed and Teddy went to bed after opening his gifts and playing with them until he fell asleep on the floor, they all moved from the dining table to the living room again for a nightcap. They started handing out presents among themselves based on the Secret Santa game Andy had organized. But after that was all done, Narcissa still held one gift in her hands.

‘I know I’m breaking the rules here, but I already had a gift for Hermione before pulling Ronald out of the hat.’

She nodded to Ron who was still shaking with enthusiasm about his VIP Quidditch World Cup tickets before handing the parcel over to Hermione who couldn’t hide her curiosity any longer and practically jumped up and down in her seat. Very endearing, according to Narcissa who once again felt her smile from ear to ear without being able to control it. Hermione shrieked when she tore of the wrapping paper.

‘Merlin’s beard! Cissy you witch! How have you been able to keep this from me?’

‘It wasn’t easy as I had to spend many days writing to have it finished by Christmas. On the other hand, I perform better under pressure.’

Hermione looked at the green hardcover book she held in her hands. A silver title ‘ _Behind the façade’_ decorated the cover. She flipped the book open and read the introduction next to Narcissa’s picture. _To Hermione Granger who decided to help me when no one else would and who became my closest friend. Thank you for my second chance._

‘I don’t have words for this, Cissy. Thank you so much!’

‘I’m glad you like it. It’s the very first book that rolled off the press. They’re for sale starting tomorrow. Luckily I already had a bunch of notes since I write almost everything down otherwise this would never have happened.’

The brunette rose from her seat and hugged Narcissa tightly while handing the book over to Ginny who passed it along the guests at the party. They all outed their compliments and promised to buy the book when they had the chance. It made Narcissa lose her battle against her emotions again so she quickly stood up and announced that she needed some air and left the room.

‘I’ll go check on her. I think she’s crying and probably ashamed to show it,’ Hermione said, earning herself an approving nod from Andy.

‘Am I the only one that notices how those two are head over heels for each other but too stubborn to acknowledge it,’ Ginny blurted out the moment Hermione closed the door behind her.

The remaining women in the room immediately laughed and they each told their own stories on how they found out about the blossoming romance while the men just stupidly blinked, completely oblivious.

***

‘Narcissa, are you alright?’

Hermione found the witch leaning in the doorframe looking out into the street. Her blue eyes shimmered from the tears she had not allowed to escape but her breathing was steady and she had a faint smile on her face. The witch turned around and held out a hand to Hermione.

‘Walk with me.’

The brunette didn’t hesitate as she took Narcissa’s hand, once more ignoring the physical reaction that coursed through her like a shockwave. Disappointment soon followed when Narcissa let go of her hand and Hermione cursed inwardly as realization struck her. She didn’t fancy women. No, she fancied only one and of all the available witches, it had to be a former pureblood-supremacist, ex-wife of a Death Eater and mother of her school bully.

‘Sickle for your thought,’ Narcissa asked when she saw the frown on Hermione’s face.

‘Oh, I was just thinking about your book and how fast you wrote it,’ the younger witch lied.

‘I really wanted you to have it for Christmas.’

‘Cissy, I love it, but I do feel bad that I didn’t get you a gift. You were not my Secret Santa and it didn’t occur to me that you would break the rules.’

‘I’m a Slytherin.’

Hermione scoffed at that. During their walk it had started to snow and despite the flakes being small and melting immediately upon touching the ground, the witch shivered. She had not expected to go for a walk and hadn’t brought her jacket. A quick glance to Narcissa taught her that the witch seemed undeterred. Evermore in control of everything.

‘Slytherin or not. I wish I had bought you a gift.’

‘There’s something you could give me that would make me the happiest witch alive.’

This made Hermione stop dead in her tracks and turn to her colleague with a curious look upon her face. She really did feel guilty for not bringing anything so if there was something that would make Narcissa smile, she’d be happy to oblige! With a hesitant look upon her face, Narcissa reached into her pocket and held out a little twig of mistletoe, which she held above their heads, locking them in place once more.

‘Perhaps you could give me a real kiss this time?’

The request was enough to chase away the cold and make Hermione feel hotter than ever. She realized that Narcissa was respecting her boundaries and that she was the one who had to make a move if she wanted the kiss to happen. With every second that passed, the blonde seemed more and more unsure of her actions so Hermione quickly put a step closer so that she could grab the collar of Narcissa’s coat.

‘Merry Christmas,’ Hermione whispered before closing the final distance and pressing her lips onto Narcissa’s.

The blonde practically melted into the kiss, dropping the mistletoe next to their feet and using her now free hands to place them onto Hermione’s hips, gently pulling her even closer. When they broke apart for air, neither of them had words to describe what just happened. Hermione let go of the collar and softly caressed Narcissa’s cheek when her eyes locked onto the ice blue ones, they both knew that this felt right.

And they kissed again. Less careful this time and more hungry. Before Hermione could control her actions, she held a fistful of black and blonde hair and involuntarily moaned into Cissy’s mouth. The older woman took this opportunity to slip her tongue past Hermione’s lips very briefly, not sure whether the witch would be okay with it.

But Hermione had never been more okay and opened her mouth once more, inviting Narcissa in. Their tongues excitedly explored each other and Narcissa’s hands slowly slid from Hermione’s hips to her ass, gently squeezing it and causing the younger girl to whimper. It was as if the sound brought them back to reality making them jump apart completely breathless. Eventually it was Narcissa who spoke first.

‘We should probably head back before they think I murdered you.’

Hermione could only nod as she followed Lady Black back to the party feeling aroused and very confused at the same time. At Andy’s house, Narcissa had excused herself by thanking everybody for the wonderful evening but claimed that she was tired and therefore going home. Hermione barely noticed the green flames swallowing the woman she had just very thoroughly kissed.

The remainder of the evening passed in a haze but Hermione had gotten quite skilled in pretending that everything was alright while on the inside, she was screaming. She perfectly managed to fool everyone but Andy who put a hot cup of tea in front of her friend as soon as the last guests had left the party.

‘What happened?’

***

Willy frowned. It was Saturday morning and her mistress still hadn’t come downstairs which wasn’t like her. Narcissa liked to rise early to get the full potential out of each day. Teacup in hand, the elf went upstairs to see what was wrong. She knocked politely before entering and whatever the magical creature was expecting, her mistress sound asleep in bed wasn’t one of the scenarios!

The elf wanted to turn around but a floorboard squeaked so loud, it woke Narcissa up. She, very unlike the definition of elegance she usually upheld, yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

‘Willy? What’s wrong.’

‘Nothing mistress,’ the elf almost cried, ‘Willy didn’t mean to wake you up but Willy thought something was wrong because you were not downstairs yet.’

‘Don’t worry Willy, you have done nothing wrong. I guess I just slept in.’

‘Mistress never sleeps in.’

‘No, that’s true,’ Narcissa whispered with a smile, ‘but I had the best dream.’

She accepted her cup of tea and walked towards the window that looked out over the garden. Willy followed her every move with a curious expression. There was something about her mistress… she had changed but it wasn’t something you could easily pinpoint. She just seemed happier.

‘What is mistress going to do today? Are we going to clean again?’

‘No, Willy. For once I am not going to sit in the house all day. I am going on a shopping spree with my daughter-in-law. I have a grandchild on the way that needs to be spoiled from the very day it’s born.’

***

‘Teddy, don’t run away from us!’

Andy rolled her eyes in frustration at her overly-excited grandson who bolted through the zoo like an escaped monkey. Hermione just laughed and pushed the stroller they brought in case he got too tired. She had spent the night at Andy, not wanting to stay home alone after what had happened. Andy had teased her at first, but when she realized Hermione was really struggling, she offered her advice.

They had settled themselves on Andy’s bed with the last of the champagne and they had talked all night. It hadn’t been a pleasant conversation because Andy had really pushed Hermione to open up about her deepest desires. The witch who had put herself on the second place for years, always eager to please others, really struggled with listening to herself.

But Andy knew her. Andy loved her. And Andy refused to let Hermione have less than she deserved. So after weighing all the pros and con’s, they had come to a conclusion. And despite Hermione dreading what needed to be done… it really was the best solution. When they had woken up the next day, fully dressed and with an empty bottle of champagne between them, Andy had groaned.

_‘The amount of mornings that I wake up fully dressed and hungover really is too high.’_

Teddy had already been up and about. He had been given tickets to a muggle zoo to visit real elephants from his godfather. And enthusiastic as toddlers can be, he had asked to go the very next day. And drunk as Andy had been, she’d agreed. Hermione was glad to tag along though. It was a welcome distraction.

***

Narcissa felt more and more nervous with each next step towards the office. She hadn’t heard from Hermione all weekend. Not that she expected it, really. But still, after their kiss she had stupidly believed that they would talk about what happened. Maybe Hermione had been too busy and they would talk now? Narcissa supressed a shudder that crept down her spine. She was a grown woman, for fuck’s sake! She could handle this.

‘Good morning.’

The little bit of courage Cissy had managed to gather during her walk towards the office, disappeared into thin air when she saw Hermione’s expression. The witch rose from behind her desk and wrung her hands together. She was even more nervous than Narcissa. The blonde gulped.

‘Hi Miss Black. I mean Cissy. Narcissa! Forgive me, I haven’t slept all weekend. But I have good news!’

‘Well, please enlighten me.’

‘You’re fired.’

Narcissa blinked a few times, not being able to formulate an immediate response. This was not how she expected her morning to go.

‘I fail to see how that is good news.’

Before Hermione could answer her, a Patronus floated into the office. The witch immediately recognized the Jack Russel from Ron and froze on the spot. Ron’s voice sounded through the room, slightly panicked.

_‘Mione, Harry got injured. He’s at St. Mungo’s. Come quickly.’_

The witch looked apologetically at Narcissa who was still dumbfounded by the fact that she was fired. Her now former boss gathered her coat and purse and handed her a letter.

‘I’ve written everything down that I wanted to say to you. Just in case I didn’t get the chance to explain myself. Seems like my caution was warranted. Please read this letter and we’ll talk later, okay?’

The witch stiffly accepted the letter and watched as Hermione left the office, leaving an unpleasant chill behind. Narcissa felt hurt, confused and angry. She had, after years of solitude, finally opened up to someone and then this happened? She could hex herself for being so stupid. Why would a pretty, young witch as Hermione want to have anything to do with her? She probably only kissed Narcissa because she had drank too much.

Completely convincing herself that Hermione had fired her because she never felt anything more than a collegial friendship, Narcissa summoned all her belongings with a single spell and left the Ministry of Magic without looking back.

***

‘I thought I’d find you here.’

Andy sighed when she saw her sister, sitting on her favourite bench in the park. After her departure at the Ministry and Hermione finding an empty office, the brunette had immediately informed Andy. Harry’s life was not in danger, but Ginny really needed her right now and Hermione couldn’t split herself in half.

Narcissa looked tired. She had walked all the way from the Ministry to the park and had been sitting on the bench for hours. Her sister handed her a steaming cup of coffee, which Cissy accepted with a grateful smile. The darkness had begun to fall and the cold had settled in her bones. Still, she hadn’t found the energy to get up and go home to her very empty Victorian house.

‘What’s wrong, Cissy? Did you and Hermione have a fight?’

‘She fired me.’

Andy frowned. She knew Hermione was going to fire her sister, but she didn’t understand why Narcissa seemed so devastated about this. Surely Hermione explained? To be on the safe side, Andromeda decided to play dumb a little while.

‘Did she explain why?’

‘She got called away because Mister Potter apparently got injured.’

‘Didn’t she give you a letter or anything?’

Narcissa’s blue eyes turned a shade colder, ‘I should have known that you were involved in this Andy.’

‘You are being overly dramatic again, Cissy. Read the damn letter. I’m going to fetch us some fish and chips for dinner.’

Cissy fought the urge to stick out her tongue to the retreating form of her sister. She hated it when Andy was being reasonable and practical as always. Dramatics had no effect on her while all Narcissa sometimes wanted was to stare out of a window and overthink stuff. With a sigh, she retrieved the letter from her purse and opened it.

_Lady Black_

_Or Cissy, as I’ve gotten used to calling you. I decided to write this letter because I know that I cannot be trusted in stressful social situations. I’ll break out of Gringott’s on the back of a dragon without blinking an eye, but talking to you about my feelings? Merlin’s beard, I’d rather join a Quidditch-team._

_So I you’re reading this, it means my predictions came through and our conversation failed completely. That’s why I had this back-up plan, nicely written down when I am calm and thinking clearly. Because what happened between us is not something I take lightly._

_Dear Cissy, we’ve gotten ourselves into quite the situation. I must admit that after admiring you from a distance for months, I had convinced myself that my affections for you would remain unanswered. That I was just a silly girl with a silly crush._

_Turns out that the incredibly attractive woman that I deemed far beyond my reach feels the same? I know you love being pissed with Andy but we really ought to buy her some flowers. She was right all along. I hate it when she’s right._

Narcissa laughed! She could just hear Hermione say it and she most certainly shared the sentiment. Her sister had arrived back at their bench by now with fish and chips and a Diet Coke. Andy perched herself atop of the bench and indicated to Narcissa that she should continue reading.

_Anyhow. I want to know what this thing is between us and I hope you feel the same. I don’t think we will have it easy considering our history, our age difference, and our different social status. You name it. But I would not be a true Gryffindor if that scared me away. Nothing we do is illegal. Well, almost nothing._

_Because relationships between colleagues from the same Department is not allowed in the Ministry of Magic. That’s why I decided to fire you. I know you said you liked working for me but an intelligent and skilled witch such as yourself is wasted as my assistant. I will therefore hire someone new. That immediately solves our problem of legality._

_If I know you well enough, you are mad at me for firing you and didn’t wait for me to explain myself. So I sincerely hope that you will read this letter. I care for you deeply and I would very much like to kiss you again. And again. And again. And again._  
  
Love, Hermione

_PS. Remember that I promised you to help you achieve your dream job? Well you have an interview at St. Mungo’s this Wednesday at 11am for a position as potion mistress. Good luck!_

When Narcissa had finished reading the letter, she looked up to a grinning Andy. This time Cissy really did stick out her tongue before snatching the Diet Coke out of her sisters’ hands and stealing some chips. She had been foolish and felt embarrassed.

‘I know you previously stated that you will never refer to yourself as a tit, but you really are one Cissy.’

‘Shut up Andy. I need to fix this as soon as possible.’

‘No, you need to focus on your job interview and make sure St. Mungo’s gets the greatest potion mistress in the history of medicine. I shall inform Hermione that all is well and that you’ll talk soon.’

‘Fuck! The job interview. I had totally forgotten about that.’

Without thinking Narcissa Disapparated, leaving Andy behind. Only to Apparate again moments later, kissing her sister on the cheek and using the distraction to steal the chips and Disapparate a second time. Andromeda shook her head. Those two were perfect for each other! She rose from the bench and combed through her curls. It was about time she had a nice chat with her nephew about his mother’s future girlfriend. Being a fulltime matchmaker sure was exhausting!

***

A week had passed and Narcissa didn’t know where she had it. She had been hired on the spot during her interview and they had begged her to start right away as potion-magic was crucial in the healing of patients but not something just any witch or wizard could manage without error. They had given her a list of the most frequent potions she needed to make, asking her to give them an inventory of everything she required.

The next day they had shown Narcissa the enormous office she was going to work in. There were six cauldrons brewing at the same time and there was a storage cupboard so big it had a ladder so she could reach the top shelves. She had three interns to assist her at all times and a brand new white lab coat with a nametag.

She was exhausted after one week in her new position where she had made so much overtime; she barely had time to sleep. There had been a letter from Hermione but when she wanted to reply, she had fallen asleep behind her desk. Andy’s and Draco’s letters had also gone unanswered but Narcissa just was too busy.

And she wasn’t the only one. Hermione had finally found an adequate replacement for Narcissa and had been training the young wizard while also trying to do her own job. She just about managed to feed herself and Crookshanks but hadn’t found time to write more letters to Narcissa. But that didn’t mean the silence didn’t drive her crazy. When she snapped at Colin she knew this situation couldn’t continue.

But it took Hermione a few more restless days before she undertook any action. After tossing and turning for hours at night again and throwing her wand against the wall in frustration nearly causing her curtains to catch fire, she had had enough! Hermione was furious. She forcefully tied her robe and marched to her fireplace, tossing in so much floo powder the entire building shook when the roaring green flames emerged.

‘Narcissa Black’s bedroom,’ she yelled before she disappeared from sight.

The blonde witch who had just managed to fall asleep after yet another exhausting day screamed when her fireplace spat out a seething Hermione Granger. Narcissa held her hand against her chest as she tried to calm down.

‘Hermione. What are you doing here?’

‘Cissy, if you don’t kiss me now I will hex you so bad, you can’t walk for days.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want more Cissamione? Check out 500 hours of pantheradraconis or Worth Saving from Bet_On_Black (it's bloody brilliant as Ron would say)
> 
> If you also happen to be a fan of Bellamione, make sure to check my story Amber & Black. Otherwise I also recommend Self-Prevention from Useful_Oxymoron and In the Dead of Night from Stargazer_01 and literally EVERYTHING from Hustling_Rube93 (she's my hero)
> 
> Xxx


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